ginger-molasses cookies!

These cookies are 100% my weakness. Crispy/crackly on the outside and soft/chewy on the inside, ginger molasses cookies are just the best. A generous amount of grated fresh ginger, sorghum molasses, and almond flour make these particularly wonderful, and I think they make a perfect fall breakfast treat with coffee.

This recipe is adapted from the Tartine All Day cookbook; after I made the original recipe, I found that I loved the nuances of flavor/texture that the various alternative flours impart, but found myself wanting a thicker cookie. I tweaked it to yield my ideal composition, and also used sorghum molasses for an unanticipated flavor zing…but, traditional molasses is also lovely! I hope you enjoy!

Ginger-Molasses Cookies

adapted from Tartine All Day

Ingredients

• 3/4 c (165 g) unsalted butter, softened

• 1/2 c (100 g) granulated sugar

• 1/2 c (105 g) light brown sugar, packed

• 1/4 c (60 g) sorghum molasses (regular molasses is fine too!)

• 3 T grated fresh ginger

• 1 egg + 1 egg yolk, room temperature

• 2 1/2 c (300 g) almond flour

• 1 1/4 c (165 g) oat flour

• 2 T brown rice flour

• 2 T sweet rice flour

• 1/4 c + 1 T (45 g) tapioca flour/starch

• 3 t baking soda

• 3/4 t salt

• 1 T cinnamon

• 1 T ginger

• 1/2 t nutmeg

• 1/2 t allspice

• 1/2 t cloves

• 1/2 cardamom

• 1/2 c turbinado or raw sugar, for rolling

Directions

1. In a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix the butter and sugars until light/fluffy, about 5-10 minutes. Add the molasses and fresh ginger, and mix until incorporated. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and mix again for about 1 minute. Add the egg, followed by the egg yolk, scraping the sides of the bowl between additions.

2. Whisk together the remaining dry ingredients, and add all at once to the mixing bowl. Start the mixer on the lowest speed, gradually increasing until the dough comes together. Scrape sides of bowl if necessary to achieve a homogenous mixture. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour before baking (I recommend overnight-) or up to a few days.

3. When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350 F and line baking sheets with parchment paper. Fill a small bowl with the turbinado sugar and set aside. Shape cookies into golf ball size balls (I like to weigh them out—25 or 30 grams is my go-to) and roll in the turbinado sugar to coat before placing 2” apart on baking sheet. Bake for around 12 minutes until they are cracked and the centers are no longer wet. The edges should be set but the middles should be soft to the touch*. (Bake longer for crispy cookies, bake shorter for softer cookies)

   *I like to pull them out while I know the centers still need a minute to bake, and I leave them to cool on the pan which continues the cooking and gives a nice crispy edge while allowing the middles to stay soft.

chocolate chip cookies!

This is my favorite recipe for chocolate chip cookies, one that I’ve known since college and have tweaked over the years. Though I rarely make them anymore without whimsical twists (orange zest and milk chocolate, rye flour and espresso, etc.), I kept this last batch 100% classic, and found them as addicting as ever.

I brown the butter to add extra richness/nuttiness, and to make up for the lost moisture, add a bit of whole milk. In lieu of milk, I’ve added a splash of coffee and even rum before, and recommend going with whatever you’re feeling! …but if you’re aiming for a more classic cookie, milk is a safe bet.

Another note is about the chocolate! My favorite brand is Tcho, and I use a 50/50 mixture of their milk chocolate and bittersweet chocolate disks. While I believe that chocolate chip cookie quality is determined by texture and the nuances of flavor in the dough itself, finding the most delicious chocolate doesn’t hurt either! That is to say—I simply love Tcho chocolate, but any brand of chips, chunks, or bars that you already have will yield excellent results.

Chocolate-Chip Cookies

• 3/4 c (1 1/2 sticks, 171 g) unsalted butter

• 2 c + 2 T (280 g) flour

• 1/2 t baking soda

• 1/2 t salt

• 1 c (210 g) packed light or dark brown sugar

• 1/2 c (100 g) sugar

• 2 eggs, room temperature*

• 1 t + 1 t whole milk

• 1 t vanilla

• 1-1 1/2 c (10 oz.) chocolate chunks or chips

• coarse sea salt, for sprinkling

*Note: you’ll only use 1 egg + 1 egg yolk, but both should be at room temperature.

1. Start by browning the butter: melt the butter in a medium saucepan or pot over medium heat. Let the butter continue cooking and swirl the pan occasionally to promote even browning. The butter will sputter and bubble, and finally, as it browns, it will foam. Once it gives off a nutty aroma and is dark amber in color, take off the heat and immediately pour into a heat-proof liquid measuring cup. It should reach 2/3 cups. If you’re inclined, scrape the bottom of the pan with a spatula to add all of the toasted milk solids. (I like the super toasty/rich flavor these add, but just make sure to avoid any blackened bits) Set the browned butter aside, and let cool to lukewarm/room temperature.

2. Whisk the dry ingredients together in a medium/large bowl and set aside.

3. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, thoroughly mix the butter and sugars. Scrape the sides of the bowl/paddle down once or twice, and continue mixing until the mixture is pale in color and homogenous. I typically allow 10 minutes for this creaming process. When ready, beat in the egg, followed by the yolk. Scrape the sides down and add the vanilla and the milk. Scrape the sides down again, and add the dry ingredients. Starting at the lowest speed, mix the dough, gradually increasing the speed, until just combined. Add the chocolate chunks and beat at medium/high speed for about 1 minutes, or until evenly mixed. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for a few hours, or overnight for best results.

4. When ready to bake, heat the oven to 350 F. Scoop the dough into tablespoon size rounds (about 25 g) and set on parchment lined baking sheets, about 1.5” apart. (I bake off as many as I need at a time, and keep the remaining dough in the fridge or freezer for a rainy day.)

5. Bake for 10-12 minutes, until the centers are puffed and still a bit pale, but the edges are golden and set. Using the parchment paper to slide, I like to immediately transfer the cookies onto a cooling rack to prevent the bottoms from getting too dark. Sprinkle with coarse sea salt if desired, and enjoy!

^cookies no more than 1 minute out of the oven—puffed, pale in center but set around the edges!

honey-lavender scones!

Lavender! Honey! Cream! These ingredients are a few of my favorites, and they come together here in a simple, unfussy scone. These are sturdy in the best way, offering crisp edges and a tender, biscuit-y interior. Naturally they’re a delightful accompaniment for morning coffee or afternoon tea, and with a generous dollop of crème fraîche. And drizzle of honey.

I baked these with differing finishes, giving half the usual brush of cream and sprinkle of raw sugar, and leaving a few plain in anticipation of a honey glaze. I really don’t think you can go wrong either way; the sugar adds more texture, but the glaze adds moisture and flavor.

Honey-Lavender Scones

Ingredients

scones:

• 6 sprigs fresh lavender, divided

• 1 c (240 g) cold heavy cream

• 3 c (390 g) AP flour

• 1/4 c sugar (50 g)

• 1 T baking powder

• 1 t kosher salt

• 6 T (84 g) unsalted butter, chilled and cut into 1/2” cubes

• 2 T (40 g) honey

glaze:

• 1/4 c (31 g) powdered sugar

• 2 T (40 g) honey

• 1-2 t water, as needed

Directions

1. In advance of making/baking, steep the cream: combine 5 sprigs of lavender and heavy cream into a medium-small saucepan and scald over medium heat. After you see bubbles around the sides, remove from heat, cover, and let steep for 30 minutes before straining into a container and let cool completely before using. (OR! for a stronger lavender flavor, skip straining until just prior to using)

2. Whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and the flowers from the remaining lavender sprig in an electric mixing bowl. Add the cold/cubed butter and, with the paddle attachment, mix on low speed until the mixture starts to come together—it’ll be quite dry but when you squeeze the mixture it should stay somewhat together in your hand before falling apart. Scrape the bowl with a spatula to bring any accumulated flour at the bottom into the rest of the mixture, and mix for another 5-10 seconds.

3. Stop the mixer and add the heavy cream all at once. On low speed, mix the dough until it’s just barely come together. Turn out onto the countertop and knead it the rest of the way before shaping into a 5x7” rectangle (or a 1.5” high circle), and cut into triangles or wedges. A rolling pin is helpful here, but you can also just use your hands. If baking straight away, put them onto a parchment lined baking sheet (about 2” apart) and preheat the oven to 350 F. Brush the scones with cold cream, and sprinkle with turbinado sugar (or leave bare, if opting for the glaze) before popping them in and baking them for 10 minutes, or until the edges and the base are golden brown.

4. Alternatively, I prefer to freeze the unbaked scones and bake off straight from the freezer, however many at a time that I need. In which case, follow the same routine above (brush with cream, top with sugar) but allow an additional 5-10 minutes for baking time (15-20 minutes total).

5. While the scones are baking, whisk the powdered sugar, honey, and water together in a small mixing bowl, and set aside until scones are cool enough to handle, and brush the glaze over the tops.

tahini-almond snickerdoodles!

These are what happened when I couldn’t decide between making snickerdoodles or peanut butter cookies, and then stumbled upon tahini in my kitchen cabinet while pulling ingredients. I love them for the way the edges crunch with a cinnamon-sugary crust, and how the middles stay chewy and soft. The tahini adds an almost-bitter note, soothed over by the almond sweetness.

To me, a baked good is worth it’s salt (….calories?!) when it not only satiates your sweet tooth but also intrigues your taste buds, and these absolutely keep me wanting more.

tahini-almond snickerdoodles

cookies

• 1 cup (228 g) unsalted butter

• 1 cup (220 g) packed light brown sugar

• 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar

• 2 large eggs

• 1/2 t vanilla

• 1 t almond extract

• 400 g tahini (if separated, stir with a fork until completely smooth)

• 2 2/3 cup (360 g) all-purpose flour

• 1 t baking soda

• 1 t sea salt

• 1 t cinnamon

• 1 cup slivered almonds

cinnamon-sugar

• 1 T cinnamon

• 1 t cardamom

• 1/2 cup (100 g) sugar

directions

1. Beat butter and sugars together in stand mixer with paddle attachment until mixture is light, soft, and batter-like, about 12-15 minutes on medium/high speed. Scrape the bowl/paddle and beat for an additional 3-5 minutes, until completely homogenous. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating thoroughly after each one. Scrape down the bowl and mix again until completely smooth, then add the vanilla and almond extracts.

2. Add the tahini, and beat until it’s thoroughly mixed in. Scrape down sides of bowl and mix again!

3. Whisk together the flours, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. Add the slivered almonds and toss to coat. On low speed, add to the mixing bowl and beat until incorporated.

4. Scrape the dough into an airtight container or divide into halves and wrap tightly in plastic wrap. Refrigerate overnight (flavors will develop and it’ll be easier to handle!).

5. When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350 F and line cookie sheet(s) with parchment paper. Whisk together the sugar, cardamom, and cinnamon in a small bowl. Shape dough into rounded tablespoons (size should be just shy of a golf ball) and space 1.5″ apart onto the prepared cookie sheet; press down to flatten a bit. When the whole sheet is full, roll each cookie in the cardamom sugar and then back into its place. Finally, if desired, press firmly with a fork for traditional peanut butter cookie design.

6. Bake cookies for about 10 minutes before checking on them–when they’re ready, they’ll be lightly browned around the edges, puffed, cracked, and not overly soft/wet in the center. You can also check by using your index finger and thumb to lightly “squeeze” a cookie; if it seems set and not squishy, and the bottom is golden, they’re ready. Cool for a few minutes on the cookie sheet before placing them directly on rack to cool completely!

Note! This dough can be wrapped tightly in plastic or an airtight container and kept frozen for future cravings!